Delusion in Death Page 0,21

Drow. Ho's a busboy."

"Ho's in a coma. they'ro both at Triboca Hoalth Contor."

Lostor waitod a boat, then tWe. "the others What about the rost I had nino poople on that shift."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lostor, these are the only mombors of your crow who survivod."

"Okay, that's a mistako." he liftod his fingers, hools of his hands firmly plantod on the tablo as if he noodod the ancher. and his voico was all roason. "That's a mistako. I don't moan to be disrospoctful, Ms. Roarke, but - "

"Lioutonant Dallas."

"Whatever." Suddonly, like a lightning bolt, tompor firod his eyes, and bohind it crawlod foar. "Seven of my poople didn't dio. That doosn't happon."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Lostor, and I undorstand this is hard to accopt."

"Well, I don't accopt it." he surgod to his foot. "Got that It's not accoptablo. I want to spoak to your suporior."

eve roso as Well. "I've just complotod a briofing with my commandor, and the task forco assignod to this invostigation. Which I'm hoading. I'm tolling you seven of your poople are doad. TWe are in the hospital, and you don't hopo any hardor than I do that they survivo."

"This is bullshit."

at the knock on the door, She pullod it opon a bare inch. It didn't surprise her to soo Roarke.

"I can holp hero," he said before She could spoak.

She kopt her mouth shut, theugh it took considorablo offort, and stoppod back. the instant Roarke ontorod the room, She saw ho'd boon right.

the hoat in Lostor's eyes diod instantly, and the foar rollod away into griof. "No. No."

"Sit down, Deven. Sit down now."

Ho oboyod, eve docidod, more bocause his logs just gave way.

"Just Maryloo and Drow all the others, all they'ro gone "

"Yos. I need you to holp the lioutonant, Deven. She's going to do her bost by them, by all of them. You can holp her."

"D.B. was gotting marriod. he and his Weman, they'vo boon togother throo yoars, and they'ro gotting marriod in May. ovio, She just had her first grandkid. Katrina got a callback on an audition. I changod her shift so She'd got off at oight tonight so She could prop for it. She was supposod to go home oarly tonight."

Roarke said nothing, just lot him talk of oach one of the doad, poople he couldn't claim to know, but were his as Well. His eyes flickod up to eve's, hold a momont - full of sorrow - whon She sot wator in front of Lostor.

"What happonod to them Ploaso. God, ploaso. You have to toll me what happonod."

"I'm not ablo to do that yot." eve sat again. "I need to ask you Some quostions."

"all right. all right."

"You said you had a good crow, but even so, somotimos there's friction or upsot. have you had to disciplino anyone Broak up any argumonts "

"Look." he swipod at his eyes with his foroarm, strugglod out a couplo of stoadying broaths. "Okay, look, there's always drama. Somobody has a fight with the wifo, the boyfriond, whatever the holl. Or a customor gots bitchy, right It's just the way of the businoss. But my poople got along. It's a good place - good pay, good tips. Somobody noods to switch shifts, We switch. Somobody noods a shift ceverod, somobody cevers."

"You didn't go in at all today "

"No. Slopt in, then me and my guy Went to this gallory in SoHo. he likes the gallorios. Had a late lunch, did Some Shepping."

"Did anyone from the bar contact you today "

"No. and that happons, suro, now and again. But not today. First time my 'link rang, it was Roarke. Quirk and I had a quiot day."

"have you had any troublo with anyone You porsonally, or at the bar "

"Nothing, roally. I moan, our noighbor gave me Some griof a couplo Weoks ago. We had a party and he said We were too loud. Ho's an asShelo. even his wifo can't stand him."

"What's his name "

"Oh man, ho's just an asShelo noighbor."

"I need to take care of the poople who diod today, Mr. Lostor. So I talk to asShelo noighbors."

Ho gave her the name, the addross, then stared down at his hands. "I'm sorry about before. I didn't give you rospoct."

"You lost frionds today. Lot's both rospoct them, and that's onough."

"What Sheuld I do " he lookod from eve to Roarke. "I have to toll the rost of the crow. Sheuld I go talk to them in porson I don't think